Thread: Trying to find Chambers of Staffordshire

I've rather lost track of how to achieve my aim, and I could really use some good advice/help from people who've done all this before!! I know that my great, great Uncle, Sir Cornelius Chambers, was the chairman of Gaskell & Chambers, a brewery and pub ironmongery & fitting business in Birmingham. Family legend has it that Cornelius & his brothers came from an ordinary background and that Cornelius was taken under the wing of someone and groomed to take over the business. Of course, all these family legends are a bit wobbly when held up for close inspection, but I would like to try to find out the truth. So far, I have found:



Cornelius (1863-1941) and his siblings, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, John Edward, Thomas Inkerman(!), Sarah M, Harriet Alma, Ruth & Agnes Bertha.

His parents, John (b1824) & Harriet (nee Wharton), who became a forge manager of an ironworks (probably Round Oak Iron Works of Kingswinford). I have even managed to find his father in the 1841 & 1851 censuses, also called John (b1796 in "Wonsworth", Surrey).



But none of them seem to have the sort of background that would imply they had anything to do with G&C or that they were in a position to educate Cornelius to take over the role.



I'm sorry this is a rather long posting, I thought it best to put what I know so far. I hope someone out there can help me kick start this line again!



Jo

Maybe look for an obituary? - often a good starting point

Gillian

From the Times Jan 2nd 1933 New Year Honours list - Knights Bachelor - Chambers, Cornelius Esq JP - For political and public services in Birmingham.

Aug 8 1941 Times obituary - fairly brief - you can access it on archive times online. He was educated privately so maybe his background wasn't so ordinary after all.

Gillian